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How good do you need to be to play on PGA tour?


LongballGer
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Originally Posted by LongballGer

I hear all different kinds of stuff when ask that question.

Some people make it sound like it's as tough as shooting a 59 every time you play and others say if you are a +2 and shoot even par on most courses in tournaments you have a good chance.

How tough is it really to make a decent living on the Nationwide or PGA tour?


I would say that you at least need to have a + handicap, probably at least a +2 or better.  Its funny because I have people tell me all the time that I should quit my job and go be a pro golfer and I always just laugh and tell them that my game isnt good enough to be a pro.  They never believe me but I know what the reality of the situation is.

Dont get me wrong, Id absolutely love to play golf for a living but thats not going to be happening any time soon.

Whats in my :sunmountain: C-130 cart bag?

Woods: :mizuno: JPX 850 9.5*, :mizuno: JPX 850 15*, :mizuno: JPX-850 19*, :mizuno: JPX Fli-Hi #4, :mizuno: JPX 800 Pro 5-PW, :mizuno: MP T-4 50-06, 54-09 58-10, :cleveland: Smart Square Blade and :bridgestone: B330-S

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i have gotten to know one tour golfer just a litttle bit. it is stupid how well hits a ball, i don't know what his index would be if he posted 20 rounds on a typical CC but he is much better then our club champ...who floats between 0 and plus 2.

he has played 18 events this year, averages a 71 and is not close to keeping his tour card.

Driver- Callaway Razor somthing or other
3W- Taylor Made R11S
3H Rocketballz
4I-PW- MP-59
Gap- Vokey 54

Lob- Cleveland 60

Putter- Rife

Skycaddie SG5  

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Guess the golfer! Jim Herman?

Originally Posted by Lefty-Golfer

i have gotten to know one tour golfer just a litttle bit. it is stupid how well hits a ball, i don't know what his index would be if he posted 20 rounds on a typical CC but he is much better then our club champ...who floats between 0 and plus 2.

he has played 18 events this year, averages a 71 and is not close to keeping his tour card.



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Originally Posted by Lefty-Golfer

i have gotten to know one tour golfer just a litttle bit. it is stupid how well hits a ball, i don't know what his index would be if he posted 20 rounds on a typical CC but he is much better then our club champ...who floats between 0 and plus 2.

he has played 18 events this year, averages a 71 and is not close to keeping his tour card.


Yeah, it's ridiculous how well they strike the ball.  I know a guy from my area that used to play on the Hooter's Tour.  If he is in a tournament around here or is on someone's scramble team, you can just plan on playing for 2nd place and below.  The guy doesn't look like much.  He has a belly and just doesn't look like an athlete, but you put a golf club in his hands and it's a thing of beauty to watch him strike a golf ball.  I couldn't imagine just hanging out watching the PGA tour guys playing after seeing him.

Bryan A
"Your desire to change must be greater than your desire to stay the same"

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Awards, Achievements, and Accolades



Originally Posted by LankyLefty

Hes a real +2, really good golfer, and this particular course is no cake walk even if it was his home course.

The 92 was a bit of an aberration he shot  shot a 10 on a par 4. He said that the 2 things that were hardest to adjust to were the rough and the sight lines.


I've been to one Euro tour event in Dubai ... Desert Classic a few years ago when Mcilroy won.

The rough was like hay and the tips are set a mile back from the normal black tees.

It opened my eyes.

In my bag ... 12 year old Balvenie DoubleWood

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I have heard you need to be a +4 to +6 handicap. There are so many factors that play into it. Such as how far you hit it, your short game, and especially your putting. Any weakness you may have will be magnified by the courses that they play on. You need to be calm under pressure and have the ability to play smart agressive golf. You obviously have to be very good when there are about 150 guys that get their PGA tour card each year!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Here is a list of the US Amateur winners and runners up for the last few decades.

While there plenty of champions of the pga tour on the list there are also plenty of people kicking around on secondary tours at best and these are the best amateurs in the country.

How did the original poster go in the US Am this year?

There are plenty of +2 and +3 players caddying at places like Kiawa Island andPebble Beach just trying to make enough money to give it a crack.

I know the American attitude of "you can do anything you want" "don't listen to the knockers" etc has helped a lot of people make it against the odds. It also generates a bunch of people of who walk out of American Idol auditions in tears as the reality that they can't sing hits them in the face.

The orignal poster should get out there are work his butt off. Either go down the serious amateur golf route (US Am etc) to harden his game or buy a van, turn pro and grind it out on the mini tours and see if he can work his way up.  I'd love for him to prove me wrong, but if you have to ask how good you need to be, then you haven't played enough serious golf to know. If you haven't played serious competition then you don't have the drive anyway.

Winners

Year Venue Winner Country Score Runner-up
2011 Erin Hills Kelly Kraft United States 2 up United States Patrick Cantlay
2010 Chambers Bay Peter Uihlein United States 4 & 2 United States David Chung
2009 Southern Hills Country Club An Byeong-hun South Korea 7 & 5 United States Ben Martin
2008 Pinehurst Resort Danny Lee New Zealand 5 & 4 United States Drew Kittleson
2007 Olympic Club Colt Knost United States 2 & 1 United States Michael Thompson
2006 Hazeltine National Golf Club Richie Ramsay Scotland 4 & 2 United States John Kelly
2005 Merion Golf Club Edoardo Molinari Italy 4 & 3 United States Dillon Dougherty
2004 Winged Foot Golf Club Ryan Moore United States 2 up United States Luke List
2003 Oakmont Country Club Nick Flanagan Australia 37th hole United States Casey Wittenberg
2002 Oakland Hills Country Club Ricky Barnes United States 2 & 1 United States Hunter Mahan
2001 East Lake Golf Club Bubba Dickerson United States 1 up United States Robert Hamilton
2000 Baltusrol Golf Club Jeff Quinney United States 39th hole United States James Driscoll
1999 Pebble Beach Golf Links David Gossett United States 9 & 8 South Korea Sung Yoon Kim
1998 Oak Hill Country Club Hank Kuehne United States 2 & 1 United States Tom McKnight
1997 Cog Hill Golf & Country Club Matt Kuchar United States 2 & 1 United States Joel Kribel
1996 Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club Tiger Woods United States 38th hole United States Steve Scott
1995 Newport Country Club Tiger Woods United States 2 up United States Buddy Marucci
1994 TPC at Sawgrass Tiger Woods United States 2 up United States Trip Kuehne
1993 Champions Golf Club John Harris United States 5 & 3 United States Danny Ellis
1992 Muirfield Village Justin Leonard United States 8 & 7 United States Tom Scherrer
1991 The Honors Golf Club Mitch Voges United States 7 & 6 United States Manny Zerman
1990 Cherry Hills Country Club Phil Mickelson United States 5 & 4 United States Manny Zerman
1989 Merion Golf Club Chris Patton United States 3 & 1 United States Danny Green
1988 The Homestead Eric Meeks United States 7 & 6 United States Danny Yates
1987 Jupiter Hills Club Billy Mayfair United States 4 & 3 United States Eric Rebmann
1986 Shoal Creek Golf and Country Club Buddy Alexander United States 5 & 3 United States Chris Kite
1985 Montclair Golf Club Sam Randolph United States 1 up United States Peter Persons
1984 Oak Tree Golf Club Scott Verplank United States 4 & 3 United States Sam Randolph
1983 North Shore Country Club Jay Sigel United States 8 & 7 United States Chris Perry
1982 The Country Club Jay Sigel United States 8 & 7 United States David Tolley
1981 Olympic Club Nathaniel Crosby United States 1 up United States Brian Lindley
1980 Country Club of North Carolina Hal Sutton United States 9 & 8 United States Bob Lewis
1979 Canterbury Golf Club Mark O'Meara United States 8 & 7 United States John Cook
1978 Plainfield Country Club John Cook United States 5 & 4 United States Scott Hoch
1977 Aronimink Golf Club John Fought United States 9 & 8 United States Doug Fischesser
1976 Bel-Air Country Club Bill Sander United States 8 & 6 United States C. Parker Moore Jr.
1975 Country Club of Virginia Fred Ridley United States 2 up United States Keith Fergus
1974 Ridgewood Country Club Jerry Pate United States 2 & 1 United States John R. Grace
1973 Inverness Club Craig Stadler United States 6 & 5 United States David Strawn
1965–72: Stroke play
1972 Charlotte Country Club Vinny Giles United States 285 United States Mark Hayes ,
United States Ben Crenshaw
1971 Wilmington Country Club Gary Cowan Canada 280 United States Eddie Pearce
1970 Waverley Country Club Lanny Wadkins United States 279 United States Tom Kite
1969 Oakmont Country Club Steve Melnyk United States 286 United States Vinny Giles
1968 Scioto Country Club Bruce Fleisher United States 284 United States Vinny Giles
1967 Broadmoor Golf Club Bob Dickson United States 285 United States Vinny Giles
1966 Merion Golf Club Gary Cowan Canada 285 United States Deane Beman
1965 Southern Hills Country Club Bob Murphy United States 291 United States Bob Dickson
1895–1964: Match play
1964 Canterbury Golf Club William C. Campbell United States 1 up United States Edgar M. Tutwiler
1963 Wakonda Club Deane Beman United States 2 & 1 United States R. H. Sikes
1962 Pinehurst Resort Labron Harris, Jr. United States 1 up United States Downing Gray
1961 Pebble Beach Golf Links Jack Nicklaus United States 8 & 6 United States Dudley Wysong
1960 St. Louis Country Club Deane Beman United States 6 & 4 United States Robert W. Gardner
1959 Broadmoor Golf Club Jack Nicklaus United States 1 up United States Charles Coe
1958 Olympic Club Charles Coe United States 5 & 4 United States Tommy Aaron
1957 The Country Club Hillman Robbins United States 5 & 4 United States Dr. Frank M. Taylor
1956 Knollwood Club Harvie Ward United States 5 & 4 United States Chuck Kocsis
1955 Country Club of Virginia Harvie Ward United States 9 & 8 United States Bill Hyndman
1954 Country Club of Detroit Arnold Palmer United States 1 up United States Robert Sweeny Jr.
1953 Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club Gene Littler United States 1 up United States Dale Morey
1952 Seattle Golf Club Jack Westland United States 3 & 2 United States Al Mengert
1951 Saucon Valley Country Club Billy Maxwell United States 4 & 3 United States Joseph F. Gagliardi
1950 Minneapolis Golf Club Sam Urzetta United States 39th hole United States Frank Stranahan
1949 Oak Hill Country Club Charles Coe United States 11 & 10 United States Rufus King
1948 Memphis Country Club Willie Turnesa United States 2 & 1 United States Raymond E. Billows
1947 Pebble Beach Golf Links Skee Riegel United States 2 & 1 United States Johnny Dawson
1946 Baltusrol Golf Club Stanley E. Bishop United States 37th hole United States Smiley Quick
1942–45: No championships due to World War II
1941 Omaha Field Club Bud Ward United States 4 & 3 United States Pat Abbott
1940 Winged Foot Golf Club Dick Chapman United States 11 & 9 United States W. B. McCullough Jr.
1939 North Shore Country Club Bud Ward United States 7 & 5 United States Raymond E. Billows
1938 Oakmont Country Club Willie Turnesa United States 8 & 7 United States Pat Abbott
1937 Alderwood Country Club Johnny Goodman United States 2 up United States Raymond E. Billows
1936 Garden City Golf Club John Fischer United States 37th hole Scotland Jack McLean
1935 The Country Club Lawson Little United States 4 & 2 United States Walter Emery
1934 The Country Club Lawson Little United States 8 & 7 United States David Goldman
1933 Kenwood Country Club George Dunlap United States 6 & 5 United States Max R. Marston
1932 Baltimore Country Club Ross Somerville Canada 2 & 1 United States Johnny Goodman
1931 Beverly Country Club Francis Ouimet United States 6 & 5 United States Jack Westland
1930 Merion Golf Club Bobby Jones United States 8 & 7 United States Eugene V. Homans
1929 Pebble Beach Golf Links Harrison R. Johnston United States 4 & 3 United States Oscar F. Willing
1928 Brae Burn Country Club Bobby Jones United States 10 & 9 England Phil Perkins
1927 Minikahda Club Bobby Jones United States 8 & 7 United States Chick Evans
1926 Baltusrol Golf Club George Von Elm United States 2 & 1 United States Bobby Jones
1925 Oakmont Country Club Bobby Jones United States 8 & 7 United States Watts Gunn
1924 Merion Golf Club Bobby Jones United States 9 & 8 United States George Von Elm
1923 Flossmoor Country Club Max R. Marston United States 38th hole United States Jess Sweetser
1922 The Country Club Jess Sweetser United States 3 & 2 United States Chick Evans
1921 St. Louis Country Club Jesse P. Guilford United States 7 & 6 United States Robert A. Gardner
1920 Engineers Country Club Chick Evans United States 7 & 6 United States Francis Ouimet
1919 Oakmont Country Club S. Davidson Herron United States 5 & 4 United States Bobby Jones
1917–18: No championships due to World War I
1916 Merion Golf Club Chick Evans United States 4 & 3 United States Robert A. Gardner
1915 Country Club of Detroit Robert A. Gardner United States 5 & 4 United States John G. Anderson
1914 Ekwanok Country Club Francis Ouimet United States 6 & 5 United States Jerome Travers
1913 Garden City Golf Club Jerome Travers United States 5 & 4 United States John G. Anderson
1912 Chicago Golf Club Jerome Travers United States 7 & 6 United States Chick Evans
1911 The Apawamis Club Harold Hilton England 37th hole United States Fred Herreshoff
1910 The Country Club William C. Fownes Jr. United States 4 & 3 United States Warren Wood
1909 Chicago Golf Club Robert A. Gardner United States 4 & 3 United States Chandler Egan
1908 Garden City Golf Club Jerome Travers United States 8 & 7 United States Max H. Behr
1907 Euclid Club Jerome Travers United States 6 & 5 United States Archibald Graham
1906 Englewood Golf Club Eben Byers United States 2 up Canada George Lyon
1905 Chicago Golf Club Chandler Egan United States 6 & 5 United States Daniel Sawyer
1904 Baltusrol Golf Club Chandler Egan United States 8 & 6 United States Fred Herreshoff
1903 Nassau Country Club Walter Travis United States 5 & 4 United States Eben Byers
1902 Glen View Club Louis N. James United States 4 & 2 United States Eben Byers
1901 Atlantic City Country Club Walter Travis United States 5 & 4 United States Walter Egan
1900 Garden City Golf Club Walter Travis United States 2 up Scotland Findlay S. Douglas
1899 Onwentsia Club H. M. Harriman United States 3 & 2 Scotland Findlay S. Douglas
1898 Morris County Golf Club Findlay S. Douglas Scotland 5 & 3 United States Walter B. Smith
1897 Chicago Golf Club H. J. Whigham Scotland 8 & 6 United States W. Rossiter Betts
1896 Shinnecock Hills Golf Club H. J. Whigham Scotland 8 & 7 United States Joseph G. Thorp
1895 Newport Country Club Charles B. Macdonald United States 12 & 11 United States Charles Sands

Driver: Nakashima 10.5 degree
3 Wood: 15 degree F2
Hybrids: 19 and 21 degree
Irons: MP-58, 4-9 iron
Wedges: Vokey sm 47.06, 53.08, 58.08Putter: studio select 2.5Ball: Pro Vx : Warren Golf Club 73.6 : 146

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  • 1 month later...


Originally Posted by TitleistWI

I would say that you at least need to have a + handicap, probably at least a +2 or better.  Its funny because I have people tell me all the time that I should quit my job and go be a pro golfer and I always just laugh and tell them that my game isnt good enough to be a pro.  They never believe me but I know what the reality of the situation is.

Dont get me wrong, Id absolutely love to play golf for a living but thats not going to be happening any time soon.



No way can you make a living playing golf as a +2.  You would need to be at least a +4 to make a very average living.  I've played with numerous guys on tour and I've hit shots just as good as them and drives longer and think man maybe I could do that.  Then we finish the round add up scores and I'm sitting at a 75 and they just shot 66 like it was nothing.

Also the whole scratch handicap with the slopes and ratings of the horrible usga handicap system is really like a +2 to a +3.

Driver: Titleist 915 D3
3 wood: 15 Callaway X Hot pro
Hybrids:  18 Callaway X Hot Pro
Irons: 4-GW Callaway Apex
project x 6.0
Wedges: 54 , 58 Callaway
Putter: 2 ball
Ball: Callaway Chrome

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  • 4 months later...
I saw the other day that the average PGA Tour Pro was scrach at 13-15 yr old. In this day and age +2 may put you in the running for a collage scholarshilp. That'd give you a few years to develop some heart on the golf course. Because it's all about heart. Lots of people can make birdies, but not a lot of people can make a birdie putt to halve the hole. Fewer still can do it In front of strangers. A fraction of these can do it for the morgage week after week after week. Then, these, the chosen, have to go to the practice tee every day with the knowledge there are a thousand or so upstart champions waiting on the fringe that have been groomed from their first plastic 3 club starter set to releave you of your tour card. Point is that in today's game, to get a life inside the ropes, you might be better off becoming a sports psychologist. Because these guys are good.
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